President Cyril Ramaphosa has amended a Special Investigating Unit proclamation into South African Airways (SAA), extending the scope of the inquiry to cover alleged maladministration and unlawful conduct over more than two decades, from January 2002 to December 2025.
The revised proclamation broadens the mandate of the original 2020 investigation, authorising the SIU to probe a longer period in the affairs of the state-owned airline, including matters related to procurement, contracting and financial losses.
“The scope of the procurement activities under investigation has been updated and broadened. The amended schedule provides more detail on maintenance, repair, and operations services. Specifically, it adds the investigation into the supply of transportation services for cabin crew members at various outstations,” said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
“Furthermore, the SIU’s mandate has been strengthened to thoroughly investigate any undisclosed or unauthorised interests that board members, vendors, employees, officials, or agents of the Institutions may have had with bidders, suppliers, contractors, investors, shareholders or their agents or other related parties.”
“In line with the Act, the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during its investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.
“The SIU is also authorised to initiate civil proceedings in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during its investigation and to recover financial losses suffered by the state.”
SAA reported a profit in the 2022/23 financial year, its first since 2012. The airline entered business rescue in December 2019 and re-emerged in 2021, resuming operations with flights to six destinations, which were expanded to 17 by early 2024.
By the time the national airline entered business rescue in December 2019, it had faced years of financial trouble and poor management, relying on repeated government bailouts. The rescue plan amounted to R27bn and cut staff numbers from about 5,000 to 1,000.
Its fleet has increased from six aircraft to 20, with a target of around 50 by 2030.
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